What Happened to Us?
by theGuppyFish
Summary: Annabelle's been best friends with the boys since kindergarten, so it's no surprise she's upset when the boys start to leave her after they've shifted. Strong-willed and stubborn she refuses to admit to the pain she feels in their absence though. All she wants is answers, why did her boys decide to leave her behind? JacobxOC
1. Prologue

Hey! So if you're reading this, I have to give a big thanks. I've written a lot before this, but I've never published, so I guess you can say this is my first FanFiction, even though it's not. I don't know. Anyways, this idea just kind of came up and I started writing. I don't know what led me to actually put it out there, but here it is. Love it or hate it, I'll continue to keep updating, mainly more for my benefit, but if you like it, or you hate it, review.

This is kind of short, mainly because it's just kind of to introduce the setting, the dynamic between the boys and my OC. I promise you, regular chapters will never be this short. I also plan to have the first chapter up sometime today/tonight.

Thanks again for reading, means a lot!

* * *

It's one thing when your friends tell you why they're dropping you. It's another thing entirely when they all just begin to disappear from your life without telling you why.

We'd been together since we were all in kindergarten, when Jake and the boys stuck up for me against Paul and his lackeys on the playground. They were kind of stuck with me after that. I was a bit of an awkward kid, had a hard time talking to people despite the fact that I had a brilliant personality, if I may say so myself. It wasn't much of an issue for me when we got older, but still, we stayed together.

But, here we are, 11 years later, middle of our Junior year, and my boys are disappearing. Not physically disappearing. I see them around, running half naked like a pack of animals through the woods. They're disappearing from my life, first Jacob, then Embry, and now Quil.

It's whatever though. I'll just forget the past 11 years where we've all leaned on each other for support through our own dark times. I'll just forget all the movie nights and the sleepovers we had behind our parents' backs. I'll forget all the campouts and the adventures through the forest. I'll forget that it was Jake who gave me my first kiss, that Embry was the one to take me to Sophomore Homecoming, that Quil… well Quil gave me my first broken bone, but it was an accident, I swear. I'll just forget that it was the boys who taught me how to fight in case I was ever in a situation where they couldn't help me. I'll just forget everything. I'll even forget the fact that I've had the biggest crush on Jake for years.

I'm not some little girl, dependent on the boys to protect me and to take care of me. I'm more than perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I refuse to sit around and act as though my life has been suddenly shaken to the core, despite the fact that it has.

These boys were an integral part of my life, they had been for a majority of my life. Losing one person is one thing, but to lose what had been your entire support system all in a matter of months, how does one cope? How does one just carry on without 3 of the most important people in their life?

But like I said, I'll deal. I don't need them. Obviously, they don't need me. And if they are no longer putting forth any effort to make a relationship work between the four of us, why should I?


	2. Chapter 1

December 31 New Years

"10 minutes until fireworks!"

I sat, kind of amazed, at how fast everybody cleared out of the house we all occupied, considering that it looked as if the entirety of the upperclassmen population from school was here and many of them were too inebriated to walk straight. Some rushed to their cars, ready to drive down to the beach, others just sat on top of their cars, all were waiting to see the bursts of blooming color that would signify the start of the new year.

Deciding to go join the rest of my peers, I hopped off the counter, grabbing a bottle of water and a handful of chips as I made my way out of the kitchen. I let out a startled squeak as I passed through the hallway, someone's arms were locked around my waist and hauling me toward their body. "My sweet, darling Belle, what are you still doing inside?"

I relaxed at the sound of the voice. "Why Mr. Call, I'll have you know I just came from upstairs after having my way with a strapping young man in one of the bedrooms." He froze, his arms going slack around my waist. Turning, I pushed his chest. "God, Embry, you're such an ass. You're lucky I don't kick you in the nads!"

His face was pulled into one of mild disgust as he looked at me. "Please tell me you're kidding! For the love of God, Annabelle, there are some things that I really don't need to know."

Holding back my laughter was impossible as Embry started acting like a little boy having to watch his parents start kissing. "_Eww Annabelle! Cooties!_" I said in a high-pitched voice, mocking him. "Really, Em? How many times have I been subject to having to listen to you talk about the latest girl you've taken to bed?"

He pulled a goofy grin and threw an arm around my shoulders, beginning to drag me outside. "Why must you make me sound like a slut? I'm merely satisfying my needs as well as those of another, so I'm really more of a helper to society." His logic never ceases to astound me. "And, I do not sound like that."

"What's this talk of sluts, we're hearing?"

"Oh nothing, we were just discussing our lovely Annabelle's insatiable appetite for se- OOF"

"Embry Call, if you don't shut your mouth I will end you." He looked up at me as he was double over, gasping for air. "Don't know what you guys are talking about. Where have you two meatheads been all night?"

The two boys had the decency to at least look sheepishly at the ground. Jake looked at Quil, and Quil looked to Jake before they both looked at me with apologetic looks matched with a soft lift of the shoulders and quiet "Uh.."s.

"Sluts! The lot of you."

The three boys started laughing as I threw my hands in the air with an exasperated huff. "You're the one who just came from one of the bedrooms with a "strapping young man"!" Embry said indignantly.

I whirled around, elbowing him in the stomach again. "I was messing with you, you indecent cow! Now shut it. I want to watch the fireworks."

The boys continued to whisper to each other as I turned my back to them, face up to the sky.

"So violent…"

"Do you think she was really with someone?"

"Did she really call me a cow?"

The last one made me snort just as a bright burst of light colored the sky, the resounding BOOM following shortly after. Everybody around us broke into cheers as the show started and as it ended. Everybody was kissing their respective partner and wishing others well in the new year.

"Happy New Year, guys." All of the guys gave me strong hugs, as I gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. "Let's get out of here, yeah? I'll make you guys food at my place."

What would have been reluctant yeses became quick, enthusiastic nods of their heads at the mention of food.

Embry threw his arm around my shoulders as Jake put his arm around my waist. "What are we waiting for then?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Belle, I don't understand a word you just said."

"Well, Quil, it would certainly help if you managed to stay awake in class. Honestly, it's not at all that complicated."

"Yeah well not all of us can were born to be as smart as you. You're like a sponge. You just sit there, no notes or anything, and are able to understand everything Fischer is saying."

"Quil, it's Government. You don't have to be a genius to figure it out. The House, where a simple majority is needed, votes to impeach a president. The trial is held in the Senate. The Chief Justice presides over the trial. At the end, the Senate votes. A two-thirds majority vote is needed in order to convict and remove a president from office. Now what don't you get?"

"Leave the poor boy alone, Annabelle. You're obviously no help to him."

"May whoever is help to him remain in God's favor forever because this boy is hopeless, Luna."

"Hey!" Luna and I laughed at his indignation.

Luna was one of the few people I considered to be a good friend outside of the boys. He straight brown hair went to just past her shoulder blades and her eyes crinkled with laugh lines that made her always look to be approachable. She was the person in the school who could be friends with everybody if she so wanted. We had met in the 7th grade after she moved to La Push from a reservation where she had lived with her mother in New Mexico.

"Did you need something?" I asked after our laughter had died down. Quil had excused himself, saying something about never being a politician and never needing to really understand the political system anyway and left in a huff.

"I wanted to ask if you had talked to Embry."

A week after New Years, Embry got really sick. We had been hanging out on the beach when it hit. He got incredibly hot and couldn't stop his body from shaking. He left in a hurry to get home saying that he'd be alright. It had been a week since then and he hadn't been to school or talked to anybody since then. Jake and Quil had tried calling but Embry's mom always said he was still too sick to talk to anybody.

"No. He's still stuck at home, I thought."

"That's what I had thought too, but last night when I was on my way home from Forks, I swear to you, I saw Embry running across the highway wearing nothing but cutoffs. And then-"

"It was late last night. You probably just imagined it," I said excusing her story as nothing more than that, a story. "Lord knows you would love to see a shirtless Embry any time of the day. He's still sick at home."

Luna blushed a furious red that showed through her tanned skin. "This has nothing to do with _that_!"

"'That' meaning the crush you've had on Embry since the first time you saw him. Admit it, the fact that I was such close friends with him was a big reason you became friends with me." I was joking with her and she knew that but still she blushed like mad.

"Shut up. You're getting off topic," she said seriously. "I saw Embry last night. At first I thought I had just imagined it, like you said. It was late. It was dark. Why the hell would he be out there in nothing but cutoffs? It didn't make sense so I just brushed it off. But get this. My mom texted me not 10 minutes ago asking me why Embry Call wasn't in school. So I told her what everybody else already knows, that he's out sick. But then she sent me this, saying 'He doesn't look very sick to me.'"

Luna held up her phone for me to see. Sure enough, there was Embry in nothing but cutoffs hanging out in a clearing at the edge of the woods. He wasn't alone though. In the picture, though it was blurry, you could see three other guys with him, Sam Uley, Jared Cameron, and Paul Lahote.

"Your mom took this today?"

"Yes. Have you ever seen Embry hanging around those guys before now?"

I looked up at her. "Can you send this to me?"

"Sure thing."

I started to gather all my books and stuffed it all in my backpack. "I have to go, but thanks for showing me. I'll talk to you later."

"Annabelle…" I turned to look at Luna. Her head was hung in a defeated kind of look. "He didn't get mixed up in anything, did he? He's ok, right?"

Luna, through me, had gotten to be pretty good friends with the guys, well enough that we had all hung out together and everything. She didn't have just a simple crush on Embry. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she was in love with him. She cared for him a lot.

I walked back to her and pulled her into a quick hug before looking into her eyes. "Embry is a good guy. I promise you, you're not wrong for liking him. He's loyal and kind, one of the nicest people I have ever known. I'll let you know what's going on as soon I know."

She nodded.

With a quick, supportive squeeze on her shoulder, I left. I had to find Jake and Quil.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"What do you mean he's been hanging around with Sam Uley and his gang?!"

"Jake, lower your voice." People were staring over at us. I sent what a I hoped looked like a calming smile over at the people who were looking at us worriedly. "Luna was telling me how last night she saw Em running across the highway."

Jake gave me an "Are you kidding me" look. "She was just imagining things. Why would Embry be all the way out there?"

"That's what I said, but her mom sent her this not even thirty minutes ago." I held up my phone for him to look at.

"I called his mom earlier to see if I could stop by just to see him. She said he was still sick, too sick to be out of bed even. It can't be him."

I let out a sigh. "Jake. It's him. Just look…"

"The guy in the picture doesn't even look like Embry. Embry's hair is a tad bit longer than a few inches."

Quil took the phone from Jacob's hand and studied the picture. His body deflated a bit before he said, "It is Embry."

"You guys are out of your damn minds. It's _Embry_ we're talking about. Why would he lie about being sick? And the fuck would he be hanging around Sam Uley's gang?"

"Jake-"

"I have to go. Charlie's coming over for dinner and if I'm lucky, he'll be bringing Bella."

The last comment stung. Of course he didn't know that I had feelings for him that ran stronger than just friendship, but she hadn't even been in town for a year. How did she take precedence over me?

Jake left in a hurry, unwilling to even look at Quil or me at this point.

"Well he's pissed."

"He's being unreasonable," I said.

"Yeah, but you know how he feels about Sam Uley and the rest of them. He just doesn't want to believe that Embry would be with them."

"I don't either, but I'm not being an asshole about it."

"That's Jake, though for you sometimes."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Hello?"

"Hi, Ms. Call. It's Annabelle."

"Annabelle, love, how are you?"

"I'm fine, just busy with school." I said smiling. Embry's mother had always loved me, said I was a good influence on all of the boys. "I just wanted to see how Embry was doing."

"Oh, he's doing much better, dear. He had quite a turn around today. He was lying around this morning but now he's up and walking. He should be back at school tomorrow!"

"Really? That's great! I guess I'll just see him tomorrow then. Thanks so much Ms. Call!"

"Anytime, dear. You need to come around more often. Despite, Embry having been sick this past week, it's been far too long since I've last seen you. How's your mother been?"

I paused. "I haven't seen her in a couple weeks. She's been sending money every couple of days, so I'm assuming she's doing well. The last check came from Vegas and she's not answering my calls, so I have no real way of getting ahold of her. She'll turn up eventually." My mother was a bit of a sore subject, one that I flat out refuse to talk about with most people. Ms. Call and Jake's dad, Billy, had always been my surrogate parents when my own mom was off doing God knows what.

Ms. Call was quiet for a bit. "Well, I'm sure she'll turn up soon. If you need anything, you know you can always come to me."

"Thank you. It really does mean a lot for somebody to say that. I have to go. Thanks again, Ms. Call."

"Always, love. Stay well."

I hung up the phone and just sat for a bit. Maybe Jake was right. Maybe Embry really wasn't with Sam Uley and had been on the mend all week. Either way, I was just excited to know that I'd get to see one of my best friends again tomorrow.

Now my only worry was my mom. The boys and Luna knew the situation with my mom, as did Luna. They all knew me well enough to never ask about it though. My relationship with my mother, well to put it in a word, it was explosive. Most of the time she was away, where, I never knew. When she was home, it was constant fighting. My dad had left us not long after I was born and I knew my mother blamed me for his leaving. She told me often enough in our fights.

Like I had told Embry's mother though, my own would turn up eventually. It was a lonely way to live, but I had my boys. They were always there to fill the void my mother's absence left.

* * *

I'm kind of moving fast, but it wasn't until after I started that I realized how much time I decided to cover with this story. Didn't much care for a lot of this chapter, but I don't much care for the beginning of a lot of stories. I like when the going gets good and there's conflict and story, you know.

Anyways, thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 2

Embry didn't come to school the next day.

He didn't come to school that week at all.

He was around though. Everybody, myself included, had seen him running around the village with Sam Uley's pack of goons. I'm an understanding person; I wouldn't care if he had made new friends. What hurt was that he didn't feel the need to tell me what was going on.

Two weeks. That's how long it's been since he was supposed to return to school. I've seen him a handful of times, each time he was dressed in just the cutoffs that seem to be the norm for his new friends, no shirt, no shoes. I tried to talk to him each time, but every time he saw me coming he'd turn tail and run, literally run, in the opposite direction.

Jacob and Quil were furious, so furious that to bring Embry up at all in a conversation with them would be to start what was bound to be a loud argument.

Jacob didn't seem to be too bothered by it all. He had his Bella Swan girl to distract him from everything going on on the reservation. Before Embry had gotten sick, he and Quil had told me they had met the girl once. Something about her getting Jake to fix some piece of shit bikes for her. He wasn't around much, always in his garage with the Swan girl fixing the bikes. When he was around, all he could talk about was Bella. "Bella is so pretty. Bella is so smart. Bella is so kind."

Seeing him at times was worse than not seeing him at all. Whenever he was around I just wanted to shake him and say: "We get it! You like the girl. Now shut the fuck up and talk about something else for once." It stung, I won't lie. I'd only been nuts about the boy for years. No big deal. I couldn't be angry though; I had no right to be angry. Until I decided to sack up and say something to him about how I felt, I had no right to be upset.

Since Jake was always preoccupied with Bella Swan and Embry was off doing God knows what, Quil and I were left by ourselves for the most part. Luna was around sometimes, too, though she was often preoccupied with thoughts of Embry. Quil was dense at the best of times, but after a couple of days he began to realize that Luna's feelings toward Embry were more than friendly.

"So how long has that been a thing?" Quil had asked after Luna had left our table at lunch one day.

I gave him a pointed look that just said "Seriously? You're just now seeing this."

"I'm not a chick, I'm not as attuned to these things as your are."

"First off, I'm pretty sure your having a Y chromosome has little to do with the fact that you are quite possibly one of the most obtuse people I know. Secondly, Luna's 'thing' for Embry has always been a thing. She's good about hiding it but since he's been gone, she's been freaking out." Quil was quiet. "I'm pretty sure she's in love with him."

He blanched at that. "Luna's a good girl. Embry **was** a good guy, but since falling off the wagon… well can we say that he's still the same. I mean you hear all the time about what Sam Uley and his guys do. Why is Embry a part of that all of a sudden?" I didn't know what to say to that so I stayed quiet, playing with the pineapple pieces in my fruit cup. "I'm not as close with Luna as you are, but I do like the girl. She's nice. She doesn't deserve to be hurt… just tell her to be careful."

This is why I loved my boys. As unbelievably idiotic they could be at times, they were all full of compassion and loyal to a fault.

"Come on, Annabelle. Let's get out of here. I've had enough education for one day." I was about to argue, but Quil interrupted me quickly. "Come on, I'll get you ice cream."

How could I argue against ice cream? Quil was standing up, his hand outstretched for mine. When I gave him my hand, pulling my backpack up on my shoulder he hauled me up from the table, dragging me along to one of the exits.

I turned back to look at the table to make sure he didn't forget anything and locked eyes with Jake, who was standing in line for his food. Oops, forgot about him, I guess. The door closing behind me blocked him from view and I turned back to Quil with a big smile on my face. Let him see how it feels to be left behind, I thought vengefully.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Are you losing weight, Annabelle?"

Currently, I was sitting on Quil's back in his living room as he did countless pushups. He needed "more weight" so that he could at least feel like he was "challenging himself". After devouring an entire medium pizza myself, and a considerable amount of ice cream, it was definitely not the question I was expecting. I couldn't hold back the snort as it tore up my throat. "Quil, I think it'd be impossible for me to lose weight with the way that I eat."

He paused in his pushups to give a short laugh. "Guess you have a point there. This just feels easier than it should be." 

"You're not juicing are you? You do know what that can do to your… stuff, right?" He tilted to the side, tossing me from my perch atop him. "Hey, you ass!" 

He sat back on his feet, his hand over his heart, a look of fake hurt on his face. "I'm all natural, baby." He laughed it off soon enough though and with a wag of his eyebrows said, "And there's nothing wrong with my dick. Everything there is just perfect." He even grabbed his crotch for good measure.

"Oh, really? Not what I heard in the halls this past week. Who was it again? Aww yeah, it was Morgan Blackwater complaining about how her current boy toy couldn't get it up the last time they had seen each other."

I knew Quil was seeing Morgan secretly, what with his two confidants being no-shows I was currently the one receiving all of the gory details. This one however, he had skipped out on telling and I couldn't resist a good tease.

His mouth hung open in a shock. "It worked well enough for you didn't it?"

Now it was my turn for my mouth to hang open in shock. I couldn't even think of what to say to him. I was blushing like mad and he just sat there with a satisfied smirk on his face. "I-I-it was once. A-and…"

The asshole was laughing at my expense right now. "Don't break yourself Belle, I'm only teasing."

I got up with a huff, grabbing my trash from the coffee table. Pointing my ice cream spoon at him, "You, Quil Ateara, are insufferable. And I do believe we said that we wouldn't bring that up."

I walked out of the living room into the kitchen. Tossing my dishes in the sink, I turned back to find Quil following after me. "Nobody's here to hear, nothing to worry about."

"Quil, I don't want you to think it was something it wasn't," I said seriously.

"Chill, Annabelle. It was sex. We both know that neither of us wants the other in any type of romantic way. You're like my sister… who I happened to fuck one night at a party," he retorted with a laugh. "… and who I continue to fantasize about when I'm alone in my room."

"Ew, Quil! Shut up! Shut up. Shut up." I said pushing away from him.

"Seriously though Annabelle, that little twist thing you did… **amazing**!"

Again with the blushing, "I'm leaving. I'm gone." I grabbed my bag and headed for the door, ready to walk home. I turned back to Quil, who was doubled over in laughter. Reaching behind me I pulled the door open, still looking at Quil I said, "I will see you tomorrow, you perv."

Backing out of the door I stepped on something, losing my balance and falling in to someone. I let out an ungraceful squeal, before thankfully being caught before being able to hit the ground.

"Woah there, you good?"

"Oh! Jake. Hey, Quil, look it. It's Jake. He's at your front door. Like he's actually here… right now…" Jake still held me hovering about a foot from the ground. "Mind putting me back on my feet?"

"Are you losing weight? I could probably hold you here for another hour," Jake replied, pulling me up to my full height.

Quil who had straightened back up let out another snort. I just pointed my finger at him in warning. "I'm still pissed with you." I looked to Jake. "And you. Where the hell have you been the past week and a half?"

"I was with Bella we-"

"Shut up. I know where you were. It wasn't a literal question. I meant why have we not seen you? You've been a right ass Jacob Black."

"I don't understand why you're upset. Quil, what's she going on about?"

Looking between Quil and I and seeing the same look on both of our faces he knew he wouldn't get any help from Quil on this. I just continued to look at him, hoping my eyes conveyed the fiery anger I was feeling toward all of the important men in my life at the moment. "You are an even bigger dumb ass than I thought you were if you truly don't understand."

Quil had stepped closer to the door now and was reaching out to me now. "Come on, Annabelle, he's here now."

A look of realization passed over Jake's face. "You're upset that I haven't been here for the past few days? I'm not your boyfriend Annabelle. I don't have to answer to you nor am I obligated to see you everyday. Despite what you may wish, you are not the center of my life."

The words stung, but I'd be damned before I let him know that. Besides the sting, he'd done nothing but put fuel to the flame and I had not felt the need to hit somebody square in the face so strongly before. I took a step toward him to do just that but was stopped when Quil pulled me tightly to his chest, his arms locking my arms to my sides. "You're angry, don't let it get the better of you," he whispered in my ear.

I twisted my face toward his over my shoulder so I could look him in the eye. "He deserves it," I sneered.

He sighed. "Go home and chill out, yeah." I deflated in his arms, knowing he was right, for once being the rational one of us two. I looked back to Jake who still looked to be upset. Quil kissed the top of my head, "I'm sorry for earlier. I'll see you tomorrow, Belle."

He let me go and I walked off toward my house, spitting out a not so quiet "Asshole" at Jacob as I passed.

Both of the boys had been so busy being angry at Embry that they had never really thought to ask about how I was handling the whole ordeal. Granted it was obvious that nobody was taking it particularly well, I'd have at least liked to have been asked about how I was doing.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

After I had gotten home I had sat down to do the homework for the classes I had gone to before being pulled away by Quil. It was only Friday and I had the rest of the weekend to do all of it, but I didn't want to think about anything at the moment. If I started to think I'd realize that when I had been arguing with Jake I was being petty and insensitive. Everybody was entitled to deal with things in their own way and if spending all of his time with the Bella Swan girl was Jake's way of dealing, I shouldn't be hounding him for it.

Now, eating dinner by myself, music coming softly from the radio by the sink in the kitchen, I could do nothing but think. I was mad, mostly at myself for letting my emotions get the better of me.

Acting the way I had with Jake earlier, I was being less than fair. I was upset that Embry was gone and I was more than slightly jealous that Jake had been spending more time with a girl that wasn't me. I unfairly aimed my anger at him and couldn't even give him a reason why.

I cleaned the kitchen of my mess, watching the sun set over the trees as I cleaned the dishes. I chose to skip out on the party Luna had invited me to in Forks, opting for what was going to be a quiet night alone in the empty house I was supposed to share with my mother.

By 9 I was in bed, quiet piano music playing as I looked at Tumblr. By 9:45 my laptop was shut off and I was falling asleep. "The crazy life of Annabelle Woods everybody," I said to myself before giving a great yawn and closing my eyes for the night.


End file.
